Second Chances Reality: Reflection
by BlueRowley
Summary: Baby Harry is greatly amused by his own reflection in the mirror, while Lily and Severus reflect on happy memories. A one-shot in the Second Chances Reality.


LoveKrosi has requested a one-shot involving Severus, Lily, and baby Harry. This one is short, but I hope you enjoy!

As we learned in _To Have a Second Chance_ , chapter 34, Lily's death was due to a Hepatitis B infection, which resulted in liver cancer that ended her life in 19 months.

* * *

Lily picked up the block Harry had dropped to the floor and set it back on the baby's bouncer. Harry fiddled with the block once more, admiring the large letter A on the side and the apple on the other. Lily returned to reviewing case profiles, the only Auror related work she could really do now with her deteriorating condition. The head of her department suggested that she stop working all together, and she knew very soon she would have to, but she would do what she could until she was physically incapable.

She had been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cancer, three weeks ago. Five months prior to that, she had answered a call of a terror attack in Diagon Alley, where a former Voldemort supporter was threatening the lives of different witches and wizards. When she had arrived, the wizard attempted to take a struggling witch hostage, but ended up cutting himself. Once the witch was free and a safe distance away, Lily attempted to approach the man, only to have the knife thrown at her, cutting her arm. Help arrived, and the man was detained, and Lily's arm was treated on the outside, the idea of a muggle infection never crossing anyone's mind.

Now, her Healer was constantly checking up on her, making sure she was comfortable and taking her potions. There wasn't much more they could do, and medicine in the muggle world wasn't advanced enough to treat her condition. She had no idea how long she had left to live, but she knew she was going to make the most of it.

"Ahh!" Harry squealed, pushing the block off his bouncer once more, looking over the edge to see where it went. He reached out for it. "Ah."

Lily picked it up once more, while also grabbing a stuffed teddy to distract Harry with something new. Harry took the teddy bear and sucked on an ear. Lily smiled at him and returned to her profiles, leaning back on the arm of the sofa. After a few silent moments, Harry blew a loud raspberry as he threw the teddy down. He squealed and reached out for where it landed a foot away.

Lily sighed and summoned another toy, a rattle, in hopes he might find the noise intriguing enough to hold on to longer than three minutes. Harry shook the toy, sucked on it, shook it more, before tossing it aside. Sighing again, Lily set aside her work and focused on Harry.

"What's with you today?" Lily asked him, picking up the rattle and shaking it slightly, gently touching it to his nose. Harry gave his mother a near toothless grin, flashing two small bottom teeth. Lily smiled back. "Look at that precious face!" she cooed, summoning a mirror for Harry to stare at.

Harry made a face at the boy in the mirror. Lily laughed.

"What are you doing?" she asked, looking down in the mirror. "That's you, silly!"

Harry frowned at his reflection, staring intently at the mirror. "Ah," he said to it.

"See?" Lily kneeled by the bouncer, so she could see herself and Harry. "It's Harry. And Mummy."

"Mummy," Harry touched the mirror, pointing at his mother's reflection. Then he looked back at his reflection and made another face. Then laughed and kicked in his bouncer. Lily laughed as well, lowering the mirror as her arm grew tired. Harry whined when he couldn't see the mirror anymore and Lily lifted it back up for him. He made a face and laughed again.

Lily laughed and lowered the mirror again.

"Where's Harry?" she asked before raising the mirror. "There he is!"

Harry laughed as his reflection reappeared in front of him. Lily laughed as well, then smiled softly at her son, remembering the day he was born . . .

 _"You can do it, honey," Severus whispered in her ear, "you're doing a great job."_

 _Lily pushed, tears streaming down her face, and she squeezed her husband's hand. She could do this. She had to – for the baby. She felt like she was having the worst menstrual cramps ever, her back muscles kept seizing up, but she had to keep going. The words of encouragement from her husband and the surrounding nurses and Healer were really helping her get through. She pushed again, squeezing her husband's hand even more._

 _"Just a bit more," the Healer said._

 _Lily breathed, just as she had been taught. She was drenched in sweat, and she was starting to feel lightheaded, but she pushed once more. She felt Severus lay a kiss on the top of her head. She was so lucky to have him there with her._

 _A good push, one terrible cramp, and a breath later, a baby's wails filled the room. Lily fell back on the hospital bed and smiled despite the aches and exhaustion she felt._

 _"Congratulations," the Healer smiled, a nurse cleaning up the baby in his arms, "it's a boy!"_

 _"Oh, it's a boy, Severus!" Lily repeated to her husband as if he hadn't heard. She had asked the Healer to not reveal what the baby's gender was until birth. "May I hold him?"_

 _The Healer handed the baby wrapped in a light blanket to Lily, Severus sitting on the edge of the bed and smiling down at the newborn, who had stopped crying in his mother's arms. Lily cooed at her baby, noting he looked just like Severus. Then the baby's eyes opened just the slightest._

 _"He has your eyes," Severus whispered, so as not to disturb the peaceful child._

 _"Yes, he does," Lily agreed, her heart warming. "Harry Severus Snape."_

 _"Wait, I thought we agreed on Evans? Harry Evans Snape."_

 _"Really? You're going to do this now."_

 _"I'm just saying – I really liked Evans."_

 _"Well, I like Severus. I want him to carry his father's name."_

 _"Well . . . how about . . . Harry Severus Evans Snape?"_

 _"Harry Severus Evans Snape," Lily repeated, her baby blinking up at her. "I like it."_

Harry's loud belly laugh brought Lily back to reality. Harry was admiring himself in the mirror. How she loved her baby. She smiled and lowered the mirror again, gasping exaggeratedly.

"Where did Harry go? There he is!"

Harry laughed again, then made another face. For a second, his scowl was an exact replica of his father's. Lily laughed at the image, making Harry giggle as well.

"What are you two doing?" Severus asked, stepping into the living room.

"Come watch this, Severus," Lily said. She lowered the mirror once more. "Where's Harry? Where did he go? There he is!"

Harry squealed in delight, then reached out and touched his reflection. He poked at the mirror a couple times, ahhing at it. Severus chuckled and ruffled his son's hair, earning a loud happy squeal. Severus squatted by the bouncer, taking the mirror from Lily to look into it along with Harry.

"Who's that handsome fella?" Severus cooed at his son, looking at the baby's reflection.

Harry reached for his father's reflection, saying, "Dada."

"Yes, that's Daddy. And there's Harry. And here comes Mummy."

Lily appeared behind the two, smiling down at her boys. Harry scowled down at his reflection, making his father laugh. Harry made gurgling noises and Lily grinned, leaning against Severus. Harry tapped on his father's reflection and tried to grab at it. When that didn't work, the baby looked up at his father, reached out a hand, and tugged on his dad's hair.

"Ow!" Severus gently untangled the boy's fingers from his hair while Lily snorted. "You little brat."

"He likes your hair," Lily insisted.

"I think he likes himself more," Severus commented, watching as Harry turned back to his own reflection, laughing at it. Harry looked back up at his father, then pointed at himself. Severus smiled down at his son.

"That's you," he said. "That's Harry."

"Hawwy," Harry babbled.

Lily shifted uncomfortably against Severus, readjusting herself at his side.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked her.

"I'm fine, Sev."

"Are you sure? You're not tired, nauseous, lightheaded . . ."

"Oh, relax, Severus! I'm fine. Just happy to see my two favorite boys smiling."

"If you're sure," Severus hesitated, but Lily rolled her eyes and gave his shoulder a light shove.

"I'm positive. If it helps ease your mind, I'll let you know when I'm feeling unwell, doctor."

"Good," Severus smirked, and Lily glared at him before she was pulled in for a kiss. Harry whined unhappily when he couldn't see the mirror and his parents laughed as the broke away, holding up the mirror for the baby. Harry smiled down at his reflection, giggling when his parents kissed his cheeks simultaneously.

A couple years later . . .

Remus stepped through the floo at Severus's house, immediately greeted by a crying Harry. He paused near the toddler, who was lying on his back, kicking the floor, and wailing loudly, a handheld mirror lying on the floor next to him. He frowned curiously, kneeling near the boy.

"Harry," he greeted, "what's wrong?"

Harry glared up at Remus and let out a loud upset scream, resuming his crying. Remus stood and backed away, letting the boy be. He found Severus in the man's study, looking through several pages of requests from apothecaries and private buyers. Remus briefly wondered how Severus could brew so many potions in one week.

"Evening Severus," Remus said, stepping into the study, Harry's screaming filling up every room in the house. "What's wrong with Harry?"

"He can't make his reflection go away," Severus answered, not even looking up from what he was doing.

"Are you serious?"

"Yep. I don't understand it – he used to love his reflection."

Remus snorted, and Severus finally looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Did you need something?"

"Yes, I was hoping to borrow some ingredients from your stock."

"It's not exactly borrowing if you use the ingredients."

"Right. Then may I have some ingredients from your stock?"

"Free of charge? I think not."

"Okay, what do you want?"

"I think a couple days of babysitting Harry should cover the cost, don't you?"

"I think I can manage that. Though I may remove any mirrors in my house."

"Wise decision," Severus said, standing and exiting the study. "What did you want?"

"Powdered moonstone, Jobberknoll feathers, bicorn horn, lacewing flies, and Boomslang skin."

"Veritaserum? And what are you planning on doing with that?"

"Restocking the Auror Department's supply. I was asked to make it since I knew someone who could lend me the supplies free."

"I'd be careful with how you use the term 'free,'" Severus commented, heading down to his basement to collect the supplies.

Remus looked back at Harry who was still throwing a tantrum on the floor. He walked over to the boy and picked up the handheld mirror, flicking his wand at it. His own reflection disappeared in the mirror, and he held it down for Harry to look into.

"See, Harry?" Remus said. "Your reflection is gone."

Harry stopped crying and tilted his head at Remus. "It's gone?"

"All gone. Look."

Harry took the mirror and looked for his reflection, only it never appeared. Remus smiled at Harry as the boy just stared intently at the mirror. Then, Harry's face contorted into an angry frown and he flung the mirror across the room, nearly smashing it into a wall.

"No!" he screamed loudly, throwing himself face down on the floor, kicking and hitting the carpet in a reenergized fit. "Make it come back!"

Remus's jaw dropped, and he heard Severus chuckle from the stairway, his arms full of the needed supplies. Remus flicked his wand at the mirror to restore it and he gave it to Harry, not even bothering to say anything. Harry quieted down and stared at his reflection while Remus walked to Severus, accepting the supplies and shrinking them to fit in a pocket.

"I recommend against shrinking this," Severus said, holding up the container of snake skin. "It's fragile and unshrinking it may tear it apart."

"Got it," Remus said, carefully sliding the container into a lager robe pocket. Then, as if it were an afterthought, Remus said, "It's Lily's commemoration today."

"Indeed," Severus crossed his arms and looked over at his son. "We visited her headstone, laid some flowers down for her. I would have stayed longer but Harry hasn't exactly been having a great day."

"I see," Remus glanced over at the three-year-old yelling at his reflection to disappear. A moment of silence past between the two. Then Severus let out a heavy sigh.

"I sometimes wish he could have had more time with her. She was such a good mother to him. Perhaps even have one good memory of her before . . ."

"I know, Severus. But maybe it's best he doesn't. This way, he can bond more with you through stories you have of Lily. It would help you both reflect and keep her spirit alive in your home."

"I guess so. There's so much I would love to share with him. He's so much like her."

"He is," Remus beamed, watching Harry yell at his reflection to go away once more before flinging the mirror and throwing another fit. "And he's an awfully cute version of her."

Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head at his son, smiling nonetheless.

* * *

When I first began writing To Have a Second Chance, Lily's death was originally caused by Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). It is a rare fatal lung disease that occurs in young women. Hence why Severus originally said she died of a "rare muggle disease" and also why he couldn't say the name of it in chapter 4. However, I found hepatitis to be more relatable and more people recognize this disease over the other one. And it gave a bit more of a story as to how she may have contracted it. I hope you enjoyed this short!


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